"She's lying," Jacob said.
"I know," I said on a sigh.
"Answer me, Finch," George said. I was struck by the change in him. When it had been just the two of us, he'd been gentle and kind, but now there was a commanding note in his tone that would make an army general proud. I wouldn't want to be in Finch's shoes. "Have you fallen in with a bad lot, is that it?" George asked. "I was told by the school's administrators that your brother was thrown out for thievery. Is he behind this?"
"No! It's nothin' to do wiv 'im, sir! Please, sir."
"Was it one of your friends from that school? Have they put you up to this?"
"Sir, please, sir, can I go? It weren't my fault! I don't know nothin' 'bout no book! Please, sir."
I caught George's gaze and nodded. He dismissed the maid and she ran from the room. Her footsteps and sobs finally grew distant and I sat down, defeated.
"Good try," Jacob said, perching on the desk near me. He gave me a sad smile. "Are you all right?"
I blew out a breath. "That was awful." I rubbed my temples where a headache threatened.
"But you see what I mean when I say she was lying," George said.
I nodded. "I know she was lying, but I wonder if we could have handled that interview better. It's likely she stole the book for someone else."
"Perhaps she had no choice in the matter," Jacob said.
"You think someone threatened her and if she refused to take the book then..." I couldn't finish the sentence. It was too horrible to contemplate the things that could befall a poor girl like Maree if she fell into the clutches of an unscrupulous player.
"I suppose," George said. He pursed his lips together in thought then shrugged one shoulder. "But she's not likely to tell us anything now."
"Probably not. George, you mentioned a school to Maree just now. Are you referring to the North London School for Domestic Service?"
He nodded. "Many of our junior staff come from there. Why?"
"No particular reason. My sister is going there to find a maid today, that's all."
"It has a good reputation and we've never had a problem with any of the servants from there. Until now," he added with a grunt of disgust.
Jacob narrowed his eyes at George. "Emily, what's say you and I continue the interview without our friend here?"
My thoughts exactly. "I think it's time we leave," I said to George. "I have another séance to conduct this afternoon with my sister." It was the truth. Celia and I did have an appointment to keep, but not for another hour if my pocket watch was anything to go by.